Thailand To Expect Severe Disasters This Summer

[webfact]

Severe disasters expected this summer

BANGKOK (NNT) -- The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) has expected high tendency for drought, thunderstorms, forest fires and widespread smoke in Thailand during summer this year.

According to DDPM Director-General, Anucha Mokkhavesa, the DDPM predicts that the drought situation in Thailand from February to May 2010 will be more severe than that of last year due to lesser amount of water in reservoirs across the country by 5% year-on-year. There are 27 drought prone provinces and three of them are at high risk from drought.

The situation will be more intense during April. The North and the Northeast will experience climate variability with frequent thunderstorms, rain showers, strong gusts and hailstorms. The dry weather will also result in forest fires and smoke nationwide, especially in the southern part of Thailand. Cyclones are likely to attack the west coast of the country resulting in flashfloods at the end of April.

The Director-General warned people to be prepared for water shortages by storing water and using it economically as well as following weather forecasts and to be ready for storms. He then cautioned farmers to plan their cultivation according to the water supply in each area and refrain from all kinds of activities leading to forest fires.

-- NNT 2010-03-08

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[Heng]

12,000 liters stored. That'll last us about 8 days. Then it's water from a truck time.

[apex2000]

How about banning the senseless waste of water during the Songkran festival? Not only will water be saved, but also hundreds of lives.

The Songkran celebration should return to its traditional ways with the pouring of water on the hands of monks and elders.

Banning the 'water war' that explodes every year and results in hundreds dead would certainly benefit everyone - especially if the droughts happen as predicted.

[animatic]

Sounds like a usual summer here.

But reminding the other hens Chicken Little wasn't always wrong.

[indothai]

Fear mongering, i say... water will never run out!

Go back to the traditions of Songkran?!... RUBBISH! Break out the water cannons!!

The tourists expects a water festival, a water festival we shall give !!!

(i being facetious)

[webfact]

Warning

"Summer Thunderstorm"

No. 3 (15/2553) Time Issued : March 08, 2010

The ridge of rather intense high pressure system from China has extended to upper Vietnam. It is expected to cover the South China Sea and northeastern Thailand tonight while upper Thailand sees day hot. Summer thunderstorm will be likely with isolated thunderstorm gust, and hail followed by a decrease in temperature beginning over northeast of the country, then the other regions. People should beware of severe weather during 8-11 March 2010.

From above condition, over northern region, summer thunderstorms will be likely with thunderstorms and gust to help lessen the amount of haze and smoke after 10 March.

The advisory is in effect for Thailand from 8 March 2010.

Issued at 05.30 a.m.

Weather Forecast Bureau, Meteorological Department

Ministry of Information and Communication Technology

source: http://www.tmd.go.th/EN/warningwindow.php?wID=2085

[crusty]

How about banning the senseless waste of water during the Songkran festival? Not only will water be saved, but also hundreds of lives.

The Songkran celebration should return to its traditional ways with the pouring of water on the hands of monks and elders.

Banning the 'water war' that explodes every year and results in hundreds dead would certainly benefit everyone - especially if the droughts happen as predicted.

And how about banning selfish splashpools in Thai building specs ?

[Ricardo]

Department of Disaster-Prevention & Mitigation predicts more disasters in future ? Translation ... don't cut our Budget, you might just need us, some day ! Nice to see that poo-yais still know how to state the obvious !

[wasabi]

Song Kran commences the wise Farang's festivities of checking out other countries in SEA.

[Latindancer]

Just on the subject of water, where does Bangkok's come from ? And at what levels is this supply ?

[tonglen]

Banning the 'water war' that explodes every year and results in hundreds dead would certainly benefit everyone -

Thats news to me. How does that many die each year? No, Im not being sarcastic, Im curious.

[ignis]

Running out of water seems odd to me, going back years and years if there is a problem somewhere then the Army arrive with plants that make sea water into drinking water... We keep getting told the sea level is rising so water is not in short supply.. Maybe time for non land locked Countries to have such plants ?? could also pipe it to land locked places..

I have no idea but if the Army can do it why cannot Countries do it?

+ just think of that huge lump of ice that broke away from down south, trillions of gallons of fresh water floating in the sea.

[spindle]

Banning the 'water war' that explodes every year and results in hundreds dead would certainly benefit everyone -

Thats news to me. How does that many die each year? No, Im not being sarcastic, Im curious.

road accidents, motorbikes mostly

[webfact]

UPDATE

Thai weather agency warns of summer thunderstorms, possible drought relief

BANGKOK (TNA) -- Thailand's Meteorological Department on Monday issued a warning about summer thunderstorms in the northern and northeastern regions which could lead to an easing of the drought and lessen haze in the northern provinces.

The department said that a ridge of rather intense high pressure weather system from China has extended into upper Vietnam.

It is expected to cover the region from South China Sea to northeastern Thailand Monday night, while upper Thailand experiences very hot days. Summer thunderstorms are likely, with isolated thunderstorms, gusty winds and hail followed by lower temperatures, firth in the northeast, then in Thailand's other regions.

The public should beware of severe weather during much of this week, March 8-11.

From above condition, over northern region, summer thunderstorms will be likely with thunderstorms and gust to help lessen the amount of haze smoke after Wednesday.

The drought has affected many parts of Thailand, with the Mekong River falling to its lowest level in nearly 20 years, particularly affecting agriculture, local residents and businesses dependent on the river.

Saksit Treedech,Thailand’s permanent secretary for Natural Resources and Environment earlier said that the Mekong River Commission (MRC) comprising member countries Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, agreed at its Wednesday meeting in Luang Prabang, Laos, to petition China at the United Nations for Beijing's cooperation in finding a quick and effective solution by the end of next week.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the country will ask China to cooperate in water management to cope with the record low water level in the Mekong River, and advised farmers to not plant their second crops of rice, as irrigation water is not expected to be available due to the extended drought.

The premier said he instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to talk with Chinese representatives, calling for China to cooperate with countries in the Mekong region affected by alarming drops in the river’s water level. (TNA)

-- TNA 2010-03-08

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[anotherpeter]

Banning the 'water war' that explodes every year and results in hundreds dead would certainly benefit everyone -

Thats news to me. How does that many die each year? No, Im not being sarcastic, Im curious.

road accidents, motorbikes mostly

But nothing to do with the water war....

[Chang_paarp]

Is it budget time in the Thai political / bureaucratic cycle?

"The end of the world is near!!! We need more money.!"

[webfact]

one off-topic post and a reply to it deleted.

My apologize to the innocent bystander.

[anotherpeter]

Running out of water seems odd to me, going back years and years if there is a problem somewhere then the Army arrive with plants that make sea water into drinking water... We keep getting told the sea level is rising so water is not in short supply.. Maybe time for non land locked Countries to have such plants ?? could also pipe it to land locked places..

I have no idea but if the Army can do it why cannot Countries do it?

+ just think of that huge lump of ice that broke away from down south, trillions of gallons of fresh water floating in the sea.

Haven't you read anything about global warming in the last 10 years. These sorts of discussions have been done to death. I'm not saying global warming is true or false, but there has been so much written about it that you must have read something.

The army usually arrives with filtration plants to make dirty water into clean(er) water for local short term use. They are not taking water from the sea to do that.

Desalination plants that do take water from the sea (or salty lakes) are huge constructions costing billions of dollars. They also use a lot of power which raises the cost even more. That's why countries don't do it (much).

Also, that huge hunk of ice ... besides the fact that it would be rather hard to tow anywhere, by the time it even got a couple of thousand kms north, it would have melted into the sea.

I think you stated one fact properly ... you "have no idea".

[hunglikea]

Banning the 'water war' that explodes every year and results in hundreds dead would certainly benefit everyone -

Thats news to me. How does that many die each year? No, Im not being sarcastic, Im curious.

road accidents, motorbikes mostly

But nothing to do with the water war....

By people squirting water in the faces of m/cyclists, on car windscreens and so causing crashes and many deaths.

Edited March 8, 2010 by hunglikea

[anotherpeter]

But nothing to do with the water war....

By people squirting water in the faces of m/cyclists, on car windscreens and so causing crashes and many deaths.

I doubt very much that "many deaths" are caused by the water wars. A couple maybe.

A large proportion of deaths at Songkran are because of drunk guys on motorcyles, or because so many extra cars are on the roads getting people in and out of Bangkok.

The water wars usually happen either in areas where there are no cars or where most cars are going at about 10kmh (and usually with a dozen people on the back involved in the water wars).

[webfact]

This topic is not about Songkran accidents or incidents.

Please stay on topic

[neverdie]

It amazes me, back home (I hate it when people say that) we have roofing gutters on our house ( webfact, bear with me this will be on topic ). In many cases these roofing gutters have downpipes which take water to holding tanks. If more houses here had those water tanks, then one of these drought issues wouldnt be as severe, would it?

I can't speak for everyone but I would be releived to have some violent rain storms here at the moment, its sooooo dry.

[ralfbkk]

Song Kran commences the wise Farang's festivities of checking out other countries in SEA.

Hence, bookings are recommended on Cebu Pacific for Bangkok to Clark, Philippines.

Whenever I fly to the Philippines during Songkran I always meet so many acquaintances and friends on board, that I feel I never left Bangkok.

[gotlost]

Song Kran commences the wise Farang's festivities of checking out other countries in SEA.

Hence, bookings are recommended on Cebu Pacific for Bangkok to Clark, Philippines.

Whenever I fly to the Philippines during Songkran I always meet so many acquaintances and friends on board, that I feel I never left Bangkok.

Now that is a disaster. All bet most expats meet their ex on board.

[lensta]

Banning the 'water war' that explodes every year and results in hundreds dead would certainly benefit everyone -

Thats news to me. How does that many die each year? No, Im not being sarcastic, Im curious.

road accidents, motorbikes mostly

But nothing to do with the water war....

Really?? try riding a motor bike during Songkran when some idiot throws a bucket of water at you

that is also half full of ice and see what the result is.

[Gudge]

But nothing to do with the water war....

By people squirting water in the faces of m/cyclists, on car windscreens and so causing crashes and many deaths.

I doubt very much that "many deaths" are caused by the water wars. A couple maybe.

A large proportion of deaths at Songkran are because of drunk guys on motorcyles, or because so many extra cars are on the roads getting people in and out of Bangkok.

The water wars usually happen either in areas where there are no cars or where most cars are going at about 10kmh (and usually with a dozen people on the back involved in the water wars).

Dont know about Bangkok or other areas but think its the same everywhere but in in Pattaya you will be going down street on your motorbike and get a bucketfull of water directly in your face or get squirted with a high pressure water cannon full of ICE WATER on a very hot day and if you dont think this can and does cause accidents its time you grab a brain. This is all over Pattaya, not just the main streets and its mostly Farangs doing it. I am all in favour of cracking down on these idiots and it is a good idea to ban the water wars to conserve water

[tigerbeer]

Song Kran commences the wise Farang's festivities of checking out other countries in SEA.

Hence, bookings are recommended on Cebu Pacific for Bangkok to Clark, Philippines.

Whenever I fly to the Philippines during Songkran I always meet so many acquaintances and friends on board, that I feel I never left Bangkok.

Now that is a disaster. All bet most expats meet their ex on board.

exactly what i was thinking!

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Songkran is pretty much at the end of the dry season. The whole purpose is a water/fertility/cleaning/rebirth rite to bring on the rains (at it's origins, never mind the Buddhist significance). I don't think it's too significant in terms of water conservation other than a very short term impact on city water demand in some places. ( I kind of look forward to Songkran.. party time. )

Anyway let's hope some serious thunderstorms take place soon, both to clear the air, reduce risk of forest fires and to fill up the reservoirs, even by just a bit.

[hammered]

Songkran is pretty much at the end of the dry season. The whole purpose is a water/fertility/cleaning/rebirth rite to bring on the rains (at it's origins, never mind the Buddhist significance). I don't think it's too significant in terms of water conservation other than a very short term impact on city water demand in some places. ( I kind of look forward to Songkran.. party time. )

Anyway let's hope some serious thunderstorms take place soon, both to clear the air, reduce risk of forest fires and to fill up the reservoirs, even by just a bit.

It usually rains whan the reds have a demo They even joke about it themselves

[GungaDin]

It amazes me, back home (I hate it when people say that) we have roofing gutters on our house ( webfact, bear with me this will be on topic ). In many cases these roofing gutters have downpipes which take water to holding tanks. If more houses here had those water tanks, then one of these drought issues wouldnt be as severe, would it?

Agreed, on the rainwater harvesting & guttering.

Why is it that a country which suffers drought every year has no rainwater harvesting policy?

Try finding a large PolyTank to store your rainwater here...!

The only storage I've seen here are 200 litre ceramic pots.....